Careless actions, such as pouring waste oil from vehicles or waste chemicals on to the ground, instead of disposing of them at official sites, can destroy the agricultural value of soil and cause serious pollution to groundwater aquifers.

Soil erosion leading to desertification is also a growing problem around the world. Not only does topsoil take thousands of years to develop, once plants and trees have gone and the soil eroded, the surrounding desert can move quickly and reduce once fertile areas into wasteland.